My Best Friend's Pain
by ilovetvalot
Summary: Sequel to "Innocence Lost". Morgan must comfort Garcia after the traumatic events of "Exit Wounds". Written in response to the Television Prompt Challenge #14 by Kavi Leighanna and Sienna27 - The West Wing: "A Change is Gonna Come".


**__****Author's Note: Many, many thanks to everyone who continues to read, review, alert and favorite our stories. We truly appreciate each and every one of you. Today, please travel over to our forum, "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" and check out our latest "Getting to Know You" interview with the very talented LacytheDemonicDuck. And please, drop us a post or PM and let us know your thoughts on the forum. We'd love your input. Thanks again. And, as always, we don't own Criminal Minds.**

**My Best Friend's Pain**

_**Prompt: The West Wing - "A Change is Gonna Come"**_

Frowning as he stared through the windows of the busy cafe he knew his Baby Girl liked to frequent, he saw her, huddled over her table, her stiff shoulders slumped in defeat. Ah, hell, he couldn't have that. Not with this normally vibrant woman. The world was her fucking oyster, damn it. He was looking at the crushed shell of the body that housed the innately good woman he loved. And he didn't like it. Not one bit.

Striding determinedly through the glass doors, his steps filled with purpose, he approached quickly, looking neither left nor right, his entire focus on the woman his entire existence centered around. Touching her shoulder in a light caress, his fingers lingering against her pale neck, he leaned down behind her, his lips fanning her ear. "What's shakin', beautiful?"

Head lifting as that achingly familiar voice washed over her like a gentle wave, Penelope couldn't suppress the smile pulling at her lips. "Hey, handsome," she said softly, looking over her shoulder at the mountain of a man behind her, her heart automatically softening just at the sight of him.

Returning her faint smile with a hundred watt grin, Derek dropped a kiss to Garcia's forehead before sliding into the seat across from her. Sitting silently with her for several seconds, her uncharacteristic quietness more telling than any words she could have spoken, Morgan finally reached across the round table to grasp Penelope's cool hand. "Something's gotta give, Princess."

"Huh?" Garcia grunted without looking up from her cup.

Shaking his head as he refused to accept such an avoidance, Derek tried again. "You smell that, Mama?" he asked, sniffing the air, his eyes never leaving her bent head.

Eyebrows drawing together in confusion as she inhaled deeply, Pen shook her head. "I don't smell anything."

"I do," Morgan countered confidently as he leaned forward, propping his elbow on the small table. "Strong and sure," he nodded, squeezing her limp fingers convincingly. "Change is on the wind."

"Pardon?" Pen frowned as she tilted her head to the side, staring at the man that she trusted more than any other in this topsy-turvy world.

"There's a change comin'. It's on the wind," Morgan said again, meeting Penelope's baffled eyes over the small round table they sat at.

"What kind of change?" Penelope asked wistfully, her battered soul rejecting the concept even as much as she desired a new reality. "Because, honestly, I think I've seen and felt enough change."

"Not all change is bad, Angel. Some changes make us stronger...more resilient. They can reshape us into a better version of ourselves."

"I liked myself fine the way I was, Derek," Pen countered with pride in her voice, swallowing hard as she straightened her formerly slumped shoulders. "I looked at people and saw the good. Now, I just keep staring into these faces and wonder what they're capable of."

"Baby Girl, for every point, there's a counterpoint, a yin to the yang, a salt to the pepper..."

"Derek," Penelope said tiredly, shaking her head as her red curls fell around her shoulders, attempting to halt his in-depth analysis of the reckoning of the human soul.

Easily continuing past her protest, Derek said gently, "And for every vile, evil act, there's an equal feat of kindness and mercy. For every deranged lunatic out there, there's a person like you, Sweetness, fighting for goodness and decency. There IS a balance, Penelope."

"You really believe that, Hot Stuff?" Pen asked hopefully, letting out a pent up sigh as she clutched her coffee mug tighter, a solid presence in her suddenly evaporating world.

"I honestly do, Baby Girl," he nodded solemnly.

Biting her lip for a moment, Penelope stared into those bottomless eyes of her best friend, her soul mate, and finally nodded her acceptance. She believed him. More than that, she wanted to believe him.

"So," Morgan asked, holding out his hand to her as he stood beside her, "You ready to come back to the office with me and fight the good fight? And I'll be honest here; I'm really hoping like hell that you say yes. I don't know if I could do this without my sunshine."

Staring at his extended palm for a few endless seconds, Penelope Garcia weighed her options. Did she hide from the horror or did she choose to fight it?

And finally, slipping her hand into his, she knew her choice was made.

_**finis**_


End file.
